Toothbrush



G. NEUMERKEL TOOTHBRUSH Filed Feb. l7, 1927 Fig@ Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STA-TES GERTRUDE NEUMERKEL, 0F vll/IOUNT VERNN,"NEW YORK;

TOOTH-BRUSH.

Application filed February This invention relates to improvementsin tooth brushes, particularly tooth brushes used in hospitals for cleaning the teeth and tongue of insane patients of violent disposition, unconscious patients, who are apt to injure the fingers-of the nurses by biting etc., and it is the principal object of my inventionl to provide a tooth brush positively avoiding such injury.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tooth brush by which a. thorough cleaning of the teeth from all angles may be effected.

A further object of the invention is the f provision of a tooth brush having a handle in the form of a resilient linger stall adapt-ed to snugly fit the. linger of a nurse, and one which allows a ready exchange of the brush head and may be conveniently carried on the person or in grips etc.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully known as the description thereof proceeds, and will then be specifically detined'in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tooth brush constructed according to my invention.

Fig.L 2 is a sectional side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. l is a sectional side view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a still further modification, and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 on the drawing, my novel and improved tooth brush or brush for cleaning` the tongue consists of a hollow handle 10 tapered and hollow in the form of a resilient finger stall which carries at its outer end a rubber ring 11 and all-ows a. linger to be inserted into the handle and to snugly fit the same while the rubber ringl prevents slipping. The inner end of the handle oppositely disposed to the rubber ring has the form of an elastio sleeve 12 or the like having a plurality of vrecesses formed in its inner wall into which snap the warts 13, 14 at the end of a brush stem 15 to the opposite end of which the bristles 16 are secured in the usual well known manner. As shown, the bristles are the usual tooth brush bristles but they take up a very limited space of the bristle holder, so that the brush head is very small. This brush, while serv- 7,1927. .scriainariessa of a person properly, will prevent a patient from biting the iingersof the person usingy the brush, yand, thus positively prevent .infk

jury and eventually blood poison dueto such injury by demented persons, for instance.

In the form of my .invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the end of the ste-m 15 is angularly disposed to body of the stern, to form the brush head 17, while otherwise the construction is the same as illustrated ir Figures 1 and 2. Y

In the form of my invention'illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the handle 10 may have a rearwardly directed extension or tongue 1.8 formed therewith on one side thereof with a perforation 19 allowing' a suspension of the tooth brush from a nail, etc. The stem l5 is unite-d to the handle 10 by means of the plug 20 snugly fitting into a bore yin the handle and frictionaflly held therein.

It will be evident from the above description and from the illustration of the pre ferred forms of my tooth brush, shown here as some of the many ways of practically constructing my brush, that such changes as come within the scope of the appendedv claims may be made in the general arrangement and in the construction of the minor details of my invention Without departure from the scope, gist and spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let,- ters Patent is:

1. A tooth-brush comprising a handle in the form of a linger stall, an extension on said handle, a shank detachably he'ld in said extension, and a brush head having bristles at the end of said shank, said shank having a space between said handle and brush head providing a tooth engaging space to protect the finger against injury, a means for uniting shank and handle, and a means for ensuring a firm hold of the tooth brush on a linger.

2. A toothbrush comprising a. hollow handle in the form of a resilient finger stall, a. rubber ring at the outer end of said handle to ensure a firm hold, a hollow extension provided at the free end of said stall, a shank frictionally and detachably held in said ex tension, a brush head on said shank, said head having a limited area of bristles, and a space on said shank for protecting the linger of a user against injury by the teeth.

3. A toothand tongue-brush comprising a hollow handle in the forni of a resilient finger stall, a rubber ring` upon the free end of the handle to ensure a tight fit and hold of the handle on the finger of a user, an

elastic sleeve formed at the opposite end of at the outer end of said stein leaving a free area on said stern between said brush head and said handle to be engaged by the teeth and protecting the linger against injury.

4. A tooth-brnsh Comprising a handle in' the forni of a resilient linger stall, a hollow extension at the free end of said finger stall, and a brush head having a shank riotionally and detaehably held in the hol'low of said eX- tension.

Signed at New York in the County of New York and State of New York this 3rd day of February, A. D. 1927.

i GERTRUDE NEUMERKEL. 

